Felt punching machine



June 24, l'952 A. l.. CLI-:MENTS FELT PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12,1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 24, 1952 A. LL cLEMENTs 2,601,432

FELT PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 :Inventor lJune 24, 1952 A. l.. cLEMr-:NTs 2,601,432

FELT PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Snventor June24, 1952 A. CLEMENTS FELT PUNCHING MACHINE:

4 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed Nov. 12. 1949 LTS."

nvenior @dem 5M Gttornegs As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the shaft 34 ismounted in end bearings 31 and intermediate bearings 38. The endbearings 31 are mounted for lengthwise adjustment on the transverseframe members |1 by the clamping plates 31a and bolts 31h. The bearings38 are mounted for lengthwise adjustment on the transverse frame members39 by the clamping plates 38a and bolts 38h. The shaft 34 has balancingwheels 49 mounted thereon at each end and oppositely disposed eccentriccranks 4| adjacent each end.

The upper beam |9 is connected at each end for movement relative to theframe by parallel links or levers 42, one of the ends of each link beingpivotally connected at 43 to an end plate |9c of said beam and the otherend of said link being pivotally connected at 44 to the frame. The lowerbeam 26 is similarly connected by parallel links or levers 45 to theframe for movement relative thereto. An eccentric strap or connectingrod 46 is mounted on each eccentric 4|, and its lower end 41V ispivotally connected at 48 to a block 49 which is lengthwise adjustablymounted on the upper end of each of the links 42 or 45 and is clampedthereto in adjusted position by bolts 58. Thus the drive througheccentrics 4| and their connections with the beams I9 and 20 acts tomove said beams toward and away from each other, and the extent of theirmovement or stroke is controlled by the positioning of the blocks 49 atvarying distances from the centers of oscillation of the links 42 or 45,the lengthwise adjustment of the shaft 34 and the transmission 3| beingmade to accommodate the adjustment of said blocks 49.

A needle board provided with punching needles 52 is mounted against thelower face of the bottom plate |9b. In machines of this kind, needlebreakage occurs sooner or later, so that in order to keep the machineoperating, replacement boards must be availab-le and the replacementaccomplished as quicklyV as possible. Means are accordingly provided forreleasably clamping the needle board 5| to the beam |9, see Figs. 1, 2,and 4, comprising a series of spring engaged clamps for opposite sidesof the board, and means for quickly releasing these clamps. Each clampcomprises an angled clamping plate or jaw 53 carried on the beam I9 andslidably guided by bolts 54 working in vertical slots 55 in said plate.Each plate 53 has a vertically disposed tappet or headed plunger 56anchored thereto by nuts 51 and slidably extending through an angle ironguide bracket 58 secured to the beam. A spring 59 is interposed betweenthe bracket 58 and the head of the plunger 56, so that each clamp isheld in spring tensioned engagement with the outer edge of the bottom ofthe board 5|. For quickly releasing all the clamps, spaced cam shafts 60are journalled in spaced bearings 6| mounted on the beam, and each shafthas a series of cams 62, one for each plunger 56 whereby turning saidshafts 66 will cause the cams 62 to move the tappets or plungers 56 andconsequently the plates 53 downwardly against the pressure of thesprings 59 to permit withdrawal of the damaged board and replacementwith a new one. For simultaneously operating the shafts 66, each shaftis provided with a centrally disposed worm wheel 63 meshing with a worm64 on a shaft 65 journalled on the beam I9 and extending transverselythereof and provided with a removable operating hand crank 66, wherebyturning said shaft 65 by the crank 66 will rotate the shafts 66 in the Yan upright rod 12.

4 desired direction to either release the spring pressure or permit itto hold the clamps 53 in operative position.

The felt bat to be punch felted is introduced between the bolster orgrid 20c and a fixed upper grid 61. As shown in Figs. 7, 8, and l0, the

grid 61 comprises a marginal frame 61a and ak series of round grid rods61D. Each rod 61h at its ends is anchored to the frame 61a by itsmounting in a bore 68 of the head of a bolt 69 clamped to the frame 61aby a nut 10. The grid frame 61a carries a series of spaced brackets 1|on opposite sides thereof, each of which carries Each rod 12 has itsupper end working in a cylinder 13 fixed to the frame of the machine andcarries an arm 14 connected to a shaft 15 by a toggle linkage comprisingspaced crank arms 16 mounted on the shaft 15 at its side of the machineand pivotally connected by a pin 11 to one end of a link 18 whose otherend is connected by a pin 'I9 to the arm 14. Each shaft 15 is oscillatedby a crank handle 89 secured thereto. When the shaft 15 at the right inFig. 4 is turned counterclockwise and the shaft 15 at the left turnedclockwise to throw the toggle linkages over dead center, as shown inFig. 4, the stripper grid 61 is held in its operative relatively fixedposition with the arms 14 abutting rubber collars 8| interposed betweenthem and the cylinders 12. When the right hand shaft 15 is turnedclockwise and the left hand shaft turned counterclockwise, the togglesare broken and the rods 12 are moved downwardly by the linkage abovedescribed to move the grid 61 downwardly to a position in which it isclear of the needles 52 on the board 5| to permit replacement.

The punched felt is removed from the machine by a pair of longitudinallyextending pull-out rollers 82, extending lengthwise of the machine andone of whose end mountings is shown. The lower roller is journalled atits end in bearings 83 mounted on the frame of the machine. The upperroller 82 is mounted at its ends in journals 84 which are slidablysupported on xed rods 85, carrying springs 86 acting to move saidjournals downwardly to bring the rollers 82 into operative feedingrelation with the punched felt F.

The lower roller is driven from one end by a sprocket 81 on the shaftfor said roller connected by a chain 88 with a sprocket 89 mounted on ashaft 90 mounted on the frame and which may be driven in any suitablemanner as by a chain and sprocket drive connnection 9| with the shaft34, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. For quickly releasing the pull-out rolls82 from driving relation, a toggle linkage including links 82a and 82hoperatively connected together and to the shaft for said rollers isprovided, one of the links 82h provided with a handle 82o.

For removing dust and' bre that results from the punching operation, anendless spaced flight conveyor 92 is mounted at the base portion of themachine beneath the power beams and runs over rollers 93, one of whichis driven by a chain and sprocket drive connection 94 with a speedreducer 95 associated with a drive motor 96.

For punching various types of stock, the spacing of the grid bars 91 ofthe lower grid structure 20c and their width have to be varied. Topermit of ready changing of this spacing and the bars, each grid bar 91has a notch 98 at each end extending down from its top and a two partmarginal frame comprising a plane base frame part 99 and avnotched topframe part |00 secured together by machine screws l| is provided. Thenotches |02 are milled in the part |09 at the desired angle, and thispart is undercut, as shown in Fig. l0, to provide a recess |02a. toreceive the extension |04 of the notched end of the bar 91 which isclamped in operative position when the two parts 99 and 100 are clampedtogether by the screws |0l. It is also to be noted that each grid bar 91tapers downwardly on both sides so that its bottom edge is of lessthickness than its top edge, thus forming a space |03 between the gridbars of gradually increasing size toward the bottom of the grid whichgreatly aids in preventing clogging of the spaces between the barsduring the operation of the machine.

The general operation of the machine is similar to that shown in theprior Phillips Patent No. 2,004,709, one or more fibrous bats, eitherwith or without reinforcement is conveyed by a conveyor, such as shownin Fig. 3 of said patent, between the lower and upper grids. While thebat or bats is or are slowly fed through the machine, the shaft 34 isrotated causing the oscillatory movement of the beams i9 and 20 andconsequently the needle board l and the grid 29C, respectively connectedto said beams as previously described. During this movement the grid cmoves upwardly toward the stripper grid El compressing the bat betweenthese parts, and as said grid 20c moves upwardly, the needle board 5Imoves downwardly forcing the barbed needles into and through the bat, sothat the fibres thereof are efficiently interlocked with each other andthen, as the grid 20c moves downwardly, the needle board 5| movesupwardly and the needles 52 are, with the aid of the upper stripper gridE1 which holds the stock against upward movement, withdrawn from stock.This cycle is repeated with great rapidity, and it is to be noted thatunlike the prior patented structure as the beams I9 and 20 are movedtoward each other, the springs and 29 act to absorb shocks.

The conveyor 92 discharges the waste into a pit or discharge chute belowthe drive end of said conveyor and indicated at E04.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited toany particular arrangement or construction of parts except in so far assuch limitations are included in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a felt punching machine, the combination of a frame, a needleboard carrying power beam, a bolster carrying power beam, oscillatorylevers respectively connecting the ends of each power beam to saidframe, a drive shaft mounted on said frame and having oppositelydisposed eccentric cranks at the ends thereof, connecting rodsoperatively connecting said cranks to the intermediate portions of saidlevers, means for adjusting the points of connections of said connectingrods lengthwise of said levers, and means for adjusting said drive shaftrelative to said frame in accordance with the adjustment of said rods onsaid levers to vary the stroke of said power beams relative to eachother.

2. A felt punching machine as denned in claim 1 wherein a pair ofoscillatory levers is respectively connected to each end of each powerbeam and to said frame and the connecting rods are connected to one ofeach pair of said levers.

3. In a felt punching machine, the combination of a reciprocatory powerbeam, a needle board, and means for detachably securing said needleboard to said frame comprising a series of clamps engageable with saidboard, spring means for holding said clamps in clamping position, androtatable means mounted on said beam and engageable with said clamps forsimultaneously relieving said clamps of holding pressure of saidsprings.

4. In a felt punching machine, the combination of a reciprocatory powerbeam, a needle board, means for detachably securing said needle board tosaid frame comprising a series of clamps at each side of said board forholding the board against said beam, spring operated means for movingsaid clamps to clamping position. cam means for moving said springoperated means to a clamp release position, and means for simultaneouslyoperating all of said cam means.

5. In a felt punching machine, a grid structure comprising a two partmarginal frame and grid bars, one of said parts being notched to holdsaid grid bars in spaced relation and also being recessed below saidnotches, the ends oi said grid bars being notched to engage in saidrecessed portion of said parts, and means for clamping the parts of saidframe together with the notched portions of said bars between them.

6. In a felt punching machine, the combination of a needle boardcarrying power beam, a bolster carrying power beam, a relatively fixedgrid cooperating with said needle board and bolster, means for movingsaid power beams toward and away from each other, a pair of pulloutrollers for the punched stock, means for driving one of said rollers, amovable support for the other of said rollers spring means acting onsaid support for yieldingly urging said other roller into feedingrelation with said driven roller, and toggle linkage means connectedwith said movable support for quickly moving said yieldingly mountedroller out of feeding relation with said driven roller and against thepressure of said spring means.

7. In a felt punching machine, the combination of a frame, areciprocatory power beam, a needle board detachably mounted on saidbeam, a strip- ARTHUR L. CLEMENTS.

REFERENCES CITED f The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,208,719 Maussner Dec. 12, 19161,326,236 Wagner Dec. 30, 1919 1,706,535 Marble Mar. 26, 1929 2,004,725Johnson June 11, 1935

